Kasshin Kingdom
by D-D Dreamer
Summary: Every kingdom has a deep secret that only the royal family knows. One kingdom breaks this cycle, which will affect the other kingdoms. Kaoru Kamiya, the next female to inherit the Kasshin throne, will discover the price to pay to become royalty. With a dark secret lurking in the air and people accusing her of murdering the former princess of Kasshin Kingdom, how will she fare?
1. The Trial

A/N: I'm giving a try with writing an RK fanfiction because I always loved this show. This is an AU setting and the characters will be OOC. You will see what I mean when you read it. Tell me what you think about it.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

 **Kasshin Kingdom**

Brushing long bangs from her eyes, Kaoru Kamiya tilted her head while putting more weight on the balls of her feet to see the dark situation taking place in the royal court. The room was crowded by all sorts of people, traveling from distant lands or living within the castle walls and they, like her, wanted to witness a confirmation of a treacherous rumor. Two weeks ago, a rumor spread throughout the Hiten Kingdom about an illicit relationship between the Hiten prince and the Kasshin princess. Two sworn enemy kingdoms united in one room to discover the truth behind the foul gossip and this moment would be mark down in history since the revolutionary war two centuries ago.

"Is it true, Tomoe Yukishiro, that you are having an affair with Kenshin Himura?" announced a voice at one end of the room. The announcer sat upon a throne, clothed in blue velvet with gold trims along the edges to represent the Kasshin rule. Rich brown eyes stared at a young woman dressed in a silky white dress kneeling before him. When the woman stood up, Kaoru knew the white material would be soiled with dirt.

"Define affair?" the woman answered with her own question. Some people gasped at her directness, for questioning the king of the Kasshin empire. Murmurs began to echo throughout the room.

"Do you have an intimate relationship with Kenshin Himura?" the king rephrased his question.

The woman bowed her head as the room came to an abrupt silence. They were all waiting for her answer as she hid her face beneath long black hair.

"You still have not defined what you mean by an affair or intimate relationship," the woman said as she raised her head to meet the king's stare. All of a sudden people roared. Some were outraged by her defiance, others were shocked by her unpleasant manners because they knew her to be a demure and gentle lady. Kaoru was the one who was loud, brash, and acted unladylike in royal court.

The king unveiled a golden jeweled dagger from the side of his throne and unsheathed it so that the light shimmered along the sharp end. He tapped the blade against the arm rest of his throne, the clanging sound alerting everyone to stay quiet.

"You dare test my patience," the king warned menacingly at the woman staring boldly at him. "You may carry my blood through your veins and you may be my daughter, princess of the Kasshin kingdom, but you are on trial for committing a crime."

Everyone stilled, waiting for her reply. She inhaled a deep breath before lowering her head and Kaoru shook her head at the unfairness of the situation. Two days ago, Tomoe was receiving reverence from everyone at court for being a kind and beautiful princess whereas Kaoru was treated as an outcast for being considered a tomboy and now the crowd was shunning Tomoe and accepting Kaoru as the next princess to the Kasshin throne. "I understand."

"Then answer your father's question," another voice boomed from next to the Kasshin king. Kaoru's body shuddered in fear from such a commanding tone because the impact was meant for obedience. Hiko Seijuro was the king from Hiten Empire and his aura demanded respect and acquiescence from everyone, except from those who crossed the barrier of his patience. He was the type of man not to make enemies with and Tomoe was now facing that barrier.

Kaoru didn't miss how Tomoe's body flinched from the loud voice nor did she miss how the room became silent. Lowering her head further to the floor and splaying her hands out in front of her in a sign of submission to the Hiten king, she finally answered her father's question. "Yes."

The response was a mere whisper in the royal court that most people didn't hear her but Kaoru read the words from her lips and she gasped in horror. If Tomoe confessed having a relationship with the prince of the Hiten kingdom, then Tomoe's faith was already written in stone. She was going to die.

Mutters began filling the quietness as they called to hear her answer.

"They can't hear you," her father said, obviously meaning for her to repeat herself.

Raising her head to both kings, she swallowed before staring at them bravely. She repeated her answer loudly for everyone to hear. It was Kaoru's time to intervene before something bad happened to Tomoe. Lowering her body weight until her feet were flat on the floor, Kaoru scanned the crowds to determine a path into the center of the room without causing too much conflict.

"Then you know what your punishment is," the Kasshin king said. People started shouting out unpleasant names at the Kasshin princess. Hastily, Kaoru moved between people, shifting her petite body in the smallest of places before she reached the end of the crowd.

Then, a huge bang deafened the mass of people. The royal court doors opened to reveal a slender form with red hair. Kaoru instantly stopped moving as her breath caught in her throat. The atmosphere intensified as the figure slowly walked, no, glided across the room to where Tomoe knelt. His aura radiated throughout the room causing Kaoru to shiver and take a step back but her sudden reaction did not go unnoticed by him. For an instant her blue eyes clashed with burning amber eyes and she forgot where she was. Something deep in her warned her to stay away from him. He was dangerous, like a predator waiting to strike his prey at the right moment. And he may strike at her if she moved any closer to Tomoe.

When his eyes shifted away from her, deeming she wasn't a threat, she found she could breathe again. Her body began to tremble as she watched helplessly, the man dressed in a white shirt, black breeches, black boots, and his frame concealed with a red velvet cloak stopped beside Tomoe. Tomoe's eyes widened with astonishment as the man knelt before the two kings and bowed his head in reverence.

"I, Kenshin Himura, prince of the Hiten kingdom have come to confess that I am in love with Tomoe Yukishiro, princess of the Kasshin kingdom," he declared with a smooth and deep baritone that made Kaoru's legs give away and she fell onto the floor. Instantly, all eyes shifted from the red headed man to Kaoru. Her face flushed with embarrassment when she felt the kings' eyes upon her form.

"Sorry," she muttered as she hunched over in attempt to disappear in the mass of people.

"Kaoru!" Tomoe's voice shouted her name. Tomoe stood up and ran to Kaoru. Concern was written all over her lovely face that Kaoru had to shake her head. Tomoe was the one in trouble yet she came to her aid. No wonder, Battousai, the deadly nickname for the prince of the Hiten empire, fell in love with Tomoe.

"I'm fine," Kaoru whispered to her as she knelt beside her. Kaoru noticed Tomoe's silky white dress was dirtied by kneeling on the floor. Glancing at the side of Tomoe's face, she saw golden eyes staring at them but there was a seething rage as his eyes lingered on Tomoe's form. Apparently he didn't like seeing Tomoe dishevel or dirty. And she felt sorry for the kings because she somehow knew he was going to make them pay for the embarrassment they put Tomoe through, whether they were following the kingdom rules.

"Are you sure?" Tomoe questioned.

Kaoru nodded her head. Then Tomoe wrapped her slender arms around Kaoru and helped lift her from the floor. Kaoru swayed a bit before leaning some of her weight against Tomoe's side. Wearily shaking her head, she looked at the three men watching the both of them and instantly regretted it. The kings frowned with disapproval all while the prince stared at her with hard eyes.

Tomoe, not realizing his intensive stare on Kaoru, faced the kings with a new determination. Maybe Kaoru gave her some semblance of a fight because Tomoe raised her chin, straightened her shoulders despite holding some of Kaoru's body weight against her side and spoke with a clear voice for everyone to hear her.

"I, Tomoe Yukishiro, princess of the Kasshin kingdom am in love with Kenshin Himura from the Hiten kingdom and I am asking for your blessing in our union of marriage."

To say the crowd went berserk with the declaration was an understatement. They were shouts of disagreements; others shuffled closer to where Tomoe and Kaoru were located in the room with an intent to hurt. At that moment, Kaoru looked toward Kenshin's direction. She felt it more than saw his reaction. He moved with inhuman speed that Kaoru had to blink her eyes several times. One second he was in a kneeling position in the former place with Tomoe and now he stood next to them with his right hand clutching tightly at his sword. Golden eyes, as similar as burning flames, gazed around the room, daring people to attack them.

The area cleared as people backed away from them. Automatically, Tomoe helped Kaoru stand up on her own before she went to the prince. She lay her hand on his shoulder, easing the tension from his shoulders and when she felt he calmed a bit, she rested her forehead on his shoulder. And Kaoru realized among the three of them, that she was the outcast. Feeling alone and out of place, she stepped back, disappearing into the crowd.

"Quite a display the both of you produced," the Kasshin king spoke. His head tilted with curiosity as something glittered in his dark eyes. "I see that you truly care for him, daughter."

"I do," she replied while she closed her eyes, allowing herself a little rest before she opened them and stepped away from the prince but his hand grabbed her wrist so she had no choice but to stay at his side.

"I will protect and honor your daughter," Kenshin replied smoothly as he shifted his penetrative eyes on the two kings. "Additionally, if we marry, both rivaling kingdoms can be at peace."

There was small chatter between people. Some people were rejecting the idea of marriage, stating that they suffered long enough from the war two centuries ago. Some people thought the union might bring about a peace that was long overdue. Others were making assumptions that the marriage or the love wouldn't last long and both kingdoms would suffer for it. However, Kaoru knew the truth. It was the main reason she wanted to interrupt the confession.

"For the first time, my idiot of a son may have brought up a good point," the Hiten king finally spoke. His narrow lips formed into a hard smile. "Why not let the two love birds marry?" he asked while turning to look at the other king.

"I need assurance that my daughter will be safe and treated well in your kingdom," the other king stated while his eyes softened on his daughter.

"I guarantee that your only daughter will be cherished and safe guarded in my kingdom," the Hiten king promised. And Kaoru felt like someone stabbed her in the chest because she was the next one in line to become a princess in the Kasshin Kingdom but King Seijuro didn't acknowledge her existence. "Besides, it's about time my idiot of a son got married."

"My daughter is of marriageable age," the other king said lightly.

"Then let us discuss a peace treaty and marriage arrangements over a banquet," was the Hiten king's final reply. Both men laughed while the people in the royal court stared in amazement at what was suppose to be a deadly trial end with peace. They shook their heads, said their opinions and began to shuffle out of the room all while Kaoru watched the kings with a stunned expression. Her mouth was hanging open while she watched the easy bantering between two older men when moments ago, they were foes.

But Kaoru didn't know whether to be happy for her friend or ashamed. Someone was plotting a dangerous plan to get rid of Tomoe and the fact that the enemies were betraying their own kingdom by hurting the Kasshin princess to make the Hiten kingdom look at fault would begin a next war. And another war was something the Kasshin Empire couldn't afford.

Kaoru had to inform the Kasshin King before it was too late. As people shoved her around, she felt a weight pinning her down. Peering around the forms of people, Kaoru noticed boiling amber eyes staring at her. Gulping, she hid between people and decided against warning the kings about her information. The Hiten prince was intimidating and she didn't coward over anyone or anything easily.

Turning her back to the kings, she felt the penetrating gaze follow her out of the room. And she had to remind herself that she was temporarily retreating to plan how to reveal the plot of betrayal to the kings.

* * *

Kaoru felt like she could breathe again the moment she reached her room. Away from prying eyes and ease droppers, she walked into her room and closed the door but her relief was short lived when she came across a shadow standing in a corner. Kaoru opened her mouth to scream but the stranger breezed past her, grabbing her waist and pinning her to a hard form. A whoosh of air escaped her lips.

The person chuckled, the vibration passed through her form. She frowned as it sounded familiar to her. Stiffening with realizing who it was behind her, she made an attempt to move her arms. The person tightened his grip around her waist while he laughed louder.

"Go ahead. Laugh all you want, Soujiro Seta," Kaoru replied as she crossed her arms over chest while he loosen his hold at her waist.

When Soujiro calmed down, he unexpectedly let her go causing her to stumble. Ready to hit the floor, Kaoru splayed her hands to catch most of her weight on the floor but Soujiro grabbed her forearm and pulled her to lean against his form. With her other arm, Kaoru shoved her bangs away from her face to see Soujiro smirking at her. His blue eyes twinkled with laughter.

"I have to say, you have a way with making events amusing," he laughed.

If he was referring to her little slip in the royal court, she would hurt him. The only problem was she couldn't touch him if he didn't allow her to. He was a skilled swordsman and, being one of the top knights in the Kasshin empire, he was famous for his speed. His agility could rival the Battousai.

"I hope you're not talking about what I think you are talking about or else," Kaoru threatened as she held up her fists at him. Soujiro let her go and doubled over with laughter. She had to fight the urge not to hit him.

"You are such a klutz," he said while laughing.

"I didn't see you rescuing me from the mighty Battousai," Kaoru hissed through clenched teeth.

Soujiro stopped laughing but a smile still remained on his handsome face as he straightened up to look at her. "He was no threat to you or the princess."

"Are you sure?" Kaoru asked. All of a sudden the annoyance left her body as she turned grim. "I felt his intense stare follow me out of the room."

"Maybe you surprised him by falling over his voice," Soujiro said and he doubled over with laughter once again. Kaoru couldn't take any more of his childish behavior and marched over to hit him but he easily dodged her attack. When he stepped to the side, she followed to hit him with her other hand but he caught her wrist with ease and held on to it.

"Let me go!" Kaoru exclaimed. She pulled at her arm, huffing when Soujiro refused to let her wrist go.

"And risk you hitting me?" he questioned with a wide grin already knowing the answer. Kaoru shook her head. It annoyed her that Soujiro could smile with just about anything. It was creepy and at the same time, she found it refreshing. When Kaoru first met Soujiro, he was assigned to protect Tomoe. They were adolescences, Tomoe was making her debut, allowing her to make public appearances. Soujiro accompanied her and during some dangerous situations, Kaoru witnessed him kill people without hesitation all while smiling. Then one night he revealed to only her that he had an abusive past and he learned to smile to not worry anyone else. He didn't go into much details which left a lot to Kaoru's imagination.

So she let Soujiro laugh when he could because his mirth was real when he was with her. Inhaling a deep breath and exhaling it, she let herself calm down by listening to his laughter. When he stopped, Kaoru chanced looking at him. "Thank you for watching over me."

Soujiro's smile faltered as something flashed through his eyes. "Why would you say that all of a sudden?"

"Because you don't really have to watch over me but you choose to do it," she replied while shrugging her shoulder. He stepped closer to her, his face moving until he was eye level with her. Timidly, she stepped back while averting her gaze from his. If he still wasn't holding her wrist in his large hand, she would have further retreated from him.

"Of course, I would watch over you. Despite pledging my allegiance to Tomoe, you have my friendship," he said seriously. In one of those rare moments between them, Kaoru looked back at him to see his smile was gone.

"What I mean is, you don't have to protect me."

"Yes I do," he said immediately.

"Then we both know it's more than friendship," Kaoru whispered while looking away from him. His gaze was too intense for her endure. She felt like she was drowning in the depth of his eyes because he was one of the few people who knew the truth about the Kasshin kingdom.

"Kaoru," he said her name so simply but she felt as if her world was shaken up. "Part of the reason I protect you is because you're one of the closest people who know who I am. The other part is because I know who you truly are."

Lifting her eyes to him, she swallowed nervously from the seriousness in his face. "And who am I?"

He raised his free hand to run his hand through her dark hair. "You are Kaoru Kamiya, the last Kamiya left in your bloodline. Your family were the true rulers of the Kasshin kingdom until two centuries ago when the Yukishiro family ascended the throne. The Kamiyas were left to serve the family until it was due time that both families reunite to bring prosperity to the Kasshin land."

Kaoru gulped before turning away from him. "At least that's what the prophecy claims."

"You are a Kamiya. You carry the royal blue eyes, the thick glossy black hair and their gift runs through your veins."

Kaoru shook her head and roughly pulled at her confined hand. Although Soujiro's grip was not tight, it held her firmly. "That's the part that frustrates me. What gift?"

"I don't know but until we find out, you have to remain where I can protect you," Soujiro said.

"You can't always be there to protect me. Tomoe's safety comes first," said Kaoru looking into his eyes that reminded her of the sky on a clear day.

"If you're with her at all times, then I can do my duty to protect you and her at the same time."

"But if the both of us were in trouble, you have to choose to save her before you save me," Karou retorted, getting frustrated with Soujiro's simple line of thought.

"Well, let's hope the situation never happens," Soujiro said simply as he shrugged his shoulders. Finally, he let go her hand as he moved to lean against one of her bed post.

"That's the problem!" she exclaimed as she heaved her hands into the air. "Tomoe's life in danger and if we don't do something about it, she will die the night she marries the prince of the Hiten kingdom."

A frown marred Soujiro's face although the smile never left his face. "That's a serious accusation you're making. Are you saying someone from the Hiten Kingdom will kill Tomoe and make it look like someone from Kasshin kingdom did it?"

He folded his arms across his chest and Kaoru took a step back from his defensive gesture. When he didn't believe a word he heard, he usually crossed his arms. "No, you mean the opposite way," Kaoru tried to explain to him. Maybe if she could convince him to believe her, he could convince the kings of both kingdoms to postpone the wedding until they find the culprits who would murder Tomoe.

"Care to explain?" he challenged.

"Two nights ago I was wandering around the west section of the castle," Kaoru began. He lifted dark eyebrows at her with surprise. "I know I'm not suppose to wander near the king's chambers, but I found it strange that the guards were not in their assigned place to stop any trespassers. Curious, I snuck a little further when I heard two male voices discussing Tomoe's love affair."

Soujiro opened his mouth to say something, but she stopped him with a lift of her hand. "Let me finish."

He nodded his head. A smile deepening at the corners of his lips.

Inhaling a deep breath, Kaoru continued. "And then they discussed that the kings will let their children marry as though they already knew that the kings will consent to their marriage. If Tomoe marries the prince, there will be a time frame after the marriage ceremony and the banquet. There's a ritual where the bride must part from the groom to prepare for their nuptial night. They are planning on attacking Tomoe then and make the scene look as if the murderers were from the Hiten Kingdom."

Soujiro's face frowned even more as the smile left his face. "Do you have any idea what you claimed?"

Kaoru nodded her head. "Tomoe's life is in danger."

"No," Soujiro replied as he shook his head. Slowly he left where he was leaning against the bed post and slowly made his way to Kaoru. "What you just claimed is that people from the Kasshin kingdom are plotting Tomoe's murder? How will our kingdom look?"

The grimness reflecting in his eyes was frightening Kaoru. For every step he made closer to her, she took a step back.

"And you're talking about the night that will change the history between two kingdoms forever. Your claim will cause a head on war instead of peace."

Of all a sudden, Kaoru's back hit the wall and she jumped while making a squeaking noise at the back of her throat. Apparently, she took Soujiro's mannerisms and behavior too lightly. She forgot how he appeared when situations became serious.

Glancing down at his chest as both his arms were placed beside her, she noticed how he effectively trapped her between his body and the wall. If she were to push him away from using her bodily strength, her attempts would be futile. "I know what I'm saying sounds preposterous, but Tomoe's life is stake," Kaoru tried to tell him.

"No, you're making matters worse for both kingdoms. I advise you not to say anything," Soujiro said lightly. One of his hands brushed the dark hair away from Kaoru's cheek and she flinched.

"And if something happens to her?" Kaoru asked weakly as she closed her eyes. Her breathing became shaky as her heart thundered in her ears.

"Nothing bad will happen to her," he stated calmly.

"But if something does...-." Kaoru never got to finish her sentence. Soujiro hushed her with a finger against her lips. He leaned in until the warmth of his breath tickled against her ear. She trembled in fear. Her knees buckled and she would have collapsed on the floor if it weren't for Soujiro's hard chest leaning against her to support her whole body.

"I'm warning you Kaoru for your own good. Don't try to tell kings anything about what you heard. End this talk tonight because nothing good will come of it," he admonished her.

The air felt stifling for Kaoru as she tried to breathe and she still had her eyes shut tightly. She felt him move back a bit before something wet brushed against her forehead causing her eyes to quickly open. Staring at him with wide eyes, the pleasant smile returned on his lips before he pushed away from the wall, leaving Kaoru to be greeted with the cold ground.


	2. Warning

Kaoru's room contained the bare essentials, a four poster bed with the finest royal blue color to drape around it, a large trunk with a few simple dresses and a window with off white curtains. The stone walls were bare, except with candle holders to light the candles with each night. Her room was minimum size, bigger than the servant's quarters but smaller than that of most nobles. Although Kaoru was considered to be the next princess of the Kasshin Kingdom, her status among the noble court was next to nothing. Only Tomoe's constant presence forced noblemen and noblewomen to converse with her. Her large bed was due to Tomoe's persistence of having some finer luxury but Kaoru was accustomed to wearing simple dresses, lowering her head or bowing before nobles, and immersing herself with chores given to her by the servants.

And tonight, she had to play a different role than she was accustomed to; a royal princess. Opening the large chest containing dresses, Kaoru unrolled each one before placing them on her bed. Each dress had some simplistic characteristic trait; jaded and dreadful. None of them were fit for a princess to attend a banquet.

"How long are you going to take to pick a simple dress?" asked Soujiro as he entered her room without knocking.

Kaoru simply glared at him before glancing back at the few simple dresses she possessed. "As you can see, these dresses don't have any fancy trimmings to represent the emblem of our kingdom. The colors are neutral and the material is not made with the finest quality."

"So you have nothing to wear for tonight's banquet?" Soujiro lightly laughed at Kaoru's distress while his arms were behind his back. She huffed at his insensitive nature.

"I'll have to break Tomoe's heart of not going anywhere tonight," she sighed. She sat at the edge of her bed, her head in her hands.

The knight shook his head and moved to examine the dresses, one by one. One dress in particular caught his eyes and his blue eyes twinkled with mirth. He removed his hands behind him to reveal a beautiful dress. "How about this one?" His large hands grasped the flimsy material opposite from the girl's slumped form. Peering over her shoulder, her eyes widened at his choice. Of course, he picked a velvety royal blue dress with flower imprints at the collar. White pearls were embedded throughout the dress.

"I can't wear that!" Kaoru quickly protested. "That's too fancy!"

"You asked for a dress and I delivered it," he said sarcastically. "Besides everyone is dressing their best tonight. The princess will be ashamed if you dress too casual. Remember you're not working in the stables today."

Her face turned into a deep shade of red that Soujiro's facial features turned into a full blown smile. She shifted her body on her hands and knees and crawled across her bed, crumpling her other dresses to get to the knight. Quickly he shifted away when he saw her hand raised into the air to playfully hit him. He dashed to the other side with Kaoru changing positions on her bed, wrinkling her dresses or shoving them onto the stone floor while pursuing her futile hits on him.

It was the playful banter between friends that Tomoe walked into when she wanted to see how far along with changing Kaoru completed. Hearing Soujiro's glee and noticing the frustration on Kaoru's face, Tomoe smiled warmly as memories of the three of them playing in the castle walls haunted her. In a few days everything was going to change. The castle walls was going to have one less occupant or make that two. A frown replaced her smile as the young woman eyes shifted to her most precious friend. She couldn't help but feel worried about Kaoru. She acknowledged how her people viewed the raven haired girl. She had no wealth and had no noble position in the castle. Her family had been serving the Yukishiro family for two centuries. Their loyalty remained the one that sparked inspiration among the servants and it led to how Kaoru behaved among them. She was open and free. The servants treated her with respect and kindness whereas the upper class treated her with disdain. Tomoe observed how timid and shy she became around the nobles. Her head was bowed most of the time until Kaoru roamed the royal courts with a hunch back. The end of her dresses always had stains from being forced to walk in the muddy areas. Tomoe heard the scorn as the upper class talked about the girl.

Little did they know that Kaoru's family carried the purest blood of royalty. Originating from the original ones who ruled over the Kasshin Kingdom before the Yukishiro line, Kaoru, like many of the royals or the descendants of those with royal blood, held a special gift; magic. Unlike Kaoru, Tomoe didn't possess any magical trait. She wasn't a descendant of any royal blood nor was the Kasshin Kingdom her rightful throne. In a way, she was contented with marrying Prince Kenshin, so she wouldn't have to live with the cruelty behind the palace walls. But Kaoru was going to be alone. If Tomoe married Kenshin, Soujiro would have to accompany her being the first class knight to protect her.

Soujiro, who recognized her presence in the room, ran to hide behind Tomoe. His large hands grabbed her shoulders as he peeked behind her head.

"Hey!" Kaoru called out. Her hands were placed on her hips as she stood on her knees on the bed. "You're cheating!"

"No!" Soujiro shook his head. "I'm only playing smart!" He waggled his dark eyebrows at her causing the dark haired girl to frown before she jumped off the bed to run into Tomoe. Immediately, the princess raised her hands to ward off the energetic girl when Soujiro used his superior speed to race across the room, evading Kaoru's outreached hands. The princess smiled at their childish game, grateful that the knight made an entertaining atmosphere in Kaoru's room. Tomoe wanted happy memories during her last few days at the Kasshin castle.

However, the happy scene didn't last long when the princess realized that Kaoru wasn't dressed for the royal banquet. Deciding to end the childish play between two friends, Tomoe simply walked into the corner, staying out of reach as Kaoru chased Soujiro around the room. She picked the blue dress laying forgotten on the bed and cleared her throat. Sometimes, it paid to be the quiet person, because Soujiro stilled in place allowing Kaoru to finally catch him. His frozen form alerted Kaoru that the atmosphere was silent and she looked to see the princess holding the fancy dress.

"Uh..." Kaoru said in uncomfortable gesture. Her fingers intertwined as she bit her lip. "Do I have to wear that dress?"

"Most definitely," Tomoe replied in her stern voice. She almost smiled at the filibustered expression that filtered across her friend's face. "Besides, prince Enishi will be attending the banquet tonight."

Kaoru's heart skipped a beat and she found herself walking toward the dress. Soujiro looked between the two girls with a simple smile adorning his face. With one look at Tomoe, he received the silent message for his departure to give the girls their privacy. But he turned to stare at Kaoru with a warning heating his blue eyes. The message with "don't say anything" shimmered in the air. Then he bowed and left Kaoru's room.

"What was that about?" Tomoe asked, noticing the warning between two of her childhood friends. She knew when the both of them were keeping secrets from her and usually they were not good ones.

"Huh?" Kaoru asked, pretending to play dumb.

Tomoe deposited the blue dress on the bed. Her hands went to her hips, her posture daring Kaoru to challenge her. The teenager sighed. "I wish you didn't have to get married," Kaoru somewhat confessed her feelings without telling Tomoe about the incident she overheard near her father's quarters.

"I love Prince Kenshin and I want to marry him. Plus, I think it's about time the Hiten Kingdom and the Kasshin Kingdom have a peace treaty. I'm tired with the threat of war looming in the horizon or the competitions over who has the finest quality merchandise."

"I know what you mean." Kaoru was quiet. Her hands clutched at the fabric of her new blue dress. "But what if the peace was short-lived?"

All of a sudden, delicate hands grasped her shoulders. A heart shaped face overtook her vision. "What are you saying?" Tomoe asked with a grave tone. "Do you know something about our two kingdoms' alliance?"

For a moment, the teenage servant was tempted to tell her princess friend what she overheard. In fact, Tomoe's life depended on the state of the reunion but the warning look she saw in Soujiro's eyes as he left the room told her to say nothing. If she had to predict the situation, he may be standing outside the room, acting as a guard but he was really eavesdropping on their conversation with his keen hearing.

"No," Kaoru shook her head, dejected that she couldn't tell the most important person in her life about what to expect.

"Kaoru," the princess whispered her name. "If you know something, anything please tell me."

The teenage servant raised her head to see the troubled expression on the princess' lovely face and for once she found herself agreeing with Soujiro's words. Tomoe was elated to hear she was going to marry someone she loved and it was rare that there were any arranged marriages between royal families due to love. Tomoe was extremely a fortunate woman. Kaoru didn't want to have to be the reason the marriage was canceled. Tomoe may live, but she would live with misery.

"Forget it," Kaoru said. "I just realized that when you marry, I will be alone." Kaoru wrapped her slender arms around the princess, inhaling the soothing white plum scent. She shut her eyes from the sudden ache building in her chest.

"Kaoru," Tomoe whispered as she hugged friend back. "You should know I will always be your friend, no, make that sister. No one can break that apart for us." She pulled back and raised her hands to wipe the water marks on the girl's face. "Now we have to get you dress for the banquet or else."

Kaoru shuddered at the meaning behind Tomoe's words. A tall, muscular, white haired man dressed in a gray buttoned shirt, black breeches with boots, and a long sword at his hip flashed in her mind. Enishi Yukishiro was Tomoe's younger brother and he was the prince of the Kasshin Kingdom. Kaoru was engaged to marry him. Only Kaoru didn't hold any repercussion of love for him. She didn't know how to describe the man she hardly seen or interacted with most of her life. He studied abroad in many different kingdoms, getting the best education from the best tutors. When he returned home, he spent time with his father and sister during the holidays. She was not allowed to intrude on their private family moments. From the one occasion she was granted permission to talk with him, he glanced at her with disinterest and averted his attention elsewhere. Kaoru realized their marriage was based on her family's prophecy, nothing more. Her marriage life with Prince Yukishiro was an arrangement for his benefit. Even after marriage he would continue to neglect her.

"Do I have to really attend this banquet?" Kaoru asked with a sudden fear lurching in her throat.

"I know how much you dislike being around the nobles in the royal court, but this is training for you when you become princess of the Kasshin Kingdom."

"I get it. I have to accept my position because I have no family to represent my case of being legitimate heiress to the Kasshin Kingdom."

Tomoe hastily undid the buttons in the back of Kaoru's dress. With careful hands, she unveiled Kaoru's bare shoulders, gesturing for the teenage girl to remove her current dress. When the dress pooled at Kaoru's feet, Tomoe checked the undergarments. She frowned at her friend for not wearing a corset to emphasize her slender frame.

Meanwhile, she chastised the girl for her inappropriate behavior. "Your father was a great adviser to our kingdom. He helped with trade and the people's lifestyles thrived despite the threat of another war looming in the air. Your father wasn't the only one who did us great service. There was his father before him, his grandfather, so on and so forth. The Yukishiro family realized the kingdom can't be taken from the inheritors so they decided to give back the kingdom in the only way they know. You are to marry my brother so you claim the throne as the heiress of the Kasshin Kingdom."

Kaoru swallowed in nervousness as she felt Tomoe reached for the blue dress. She rolled the dress into her hands until she had the ends. With patience, she waited for Kaoru to lift her arms in the air so that Tomoe could slip on the dress down Kaoru's slender body.

"I'm sorry for all the suffering you and your family endured from my family and my ancestors throughout all the years." Tomoe's words were like daggers to her heart causing her to remember that Kaoru was the last one left of the Kamiya family. Her name would change to Yukishiro and the family name, Kamiya, would be no more.

But Kaoru didn't attest to Tomoe being at fault. She was a victim to whole scheme as Kaoru was.

Kaoru wrapped her small arms around the princess as she whispered words of comfort. "I forgive you," she quietly said, as her hands brushed through the dark strands of the princess' hair. With a surge of protectiveness filling her heart at how fragile the princess was, Kaoru silently vowed that she would protect her from the those who threatened to take away her happiness and her life.

* * *

The banquet hall was filled with glittering courtiers from all different parts of the kingdom. They attended the fine banquet to celebrate a momentous occasion, the unification of two rivaling kingdoms. Kaoru passed a hand down the front of her royal blue dress. Compared to the other nobles, she was under dressed. She didn't know if she should feel relieved or embarrassed. However, she didn't have enough time to ponder on such thoughts. Soujiro had entered the banquet and immediately made his way to her side. The princess and the prince was nowhere in sight.

"Well, will you look at them," Soujiro pointed out to the kings seated in the center of the room. They held up their glass with fine liquor as they toasted the happy event. "They are already celebrating and both princes and princess haven't come out from their hiding places as yet."

Kaoru elbowed him none-too-gently. "Be careful what you say. There are people all around us and anyone can be listening in."

"Isn't that the whole point?" Soujiro asked while he shrugged his shoulders. "They can't do anything to me. I'm the princess' personal escort."

"You won't be holding the job for long. Soon she will have Prince Himura to do that for her."

Soujiro laughed. A servant walked by with a tray of glasses filled with liquor. Soujiro grabbed two glasses and handed one to her. "Which reminds me, don't you ever wonder how Prince Himura has a different last name from his father?"

The teenager sipped lightly at the liquid and almost spit it back into her glass. From the sour expression on her face, the knight couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Stop it!" She swatted at him with her free hand except he easily dodged it.

"Stop what? You're just so funny, Kaoru."

"Oh, never mind," she said as she rolled her eyes. Just then, the music blared, alerting everyone to be silent. The royal doors opened and everyone stood up from their seats. Kaoru and Soujiro were the only few people who were already standing. The first person to enter the room was Prince Himura. He glided into the room without looking at anyone. Instead, his gaze remained on the two kings he greeted with a low bow before taking his place next to his father. The next two figures caused everyone's breath to catch. Princess Tomoe walked into the room alongside her brother. No one had seen Prince Yukishiro for a long time but from the instant Kaoru's eyes landed on him, she could tell that he grew taller and his body filled out into a masculine frame. She could make out the muscles from under his white shirt as he held out his arm. Tomoe's hand clasped his forearm as he escorted her down the aisle to their father. Both siblings took their place by King Yukishiro. Everyone, who was not of noble blood, bowed their heads to the royal family. Kaoru followed everyone's suit since she was not yet considered part of the royal family.

"Everyone, please remain standing," King Yukishiro said. He lifted up his glass and everyone else followed his actions. "As you know, we are all here to celebrate a union between the Hiten Kingdom and the Kasshin Kingdom. Once Prince Himura and Princess Yukishiro are wedded, the animosity between both our kingdoms will fade and we will begin a new era with peace."

All the nobles cheered.

"And for this reason, King Sejijuro and I bless the marriage of our children." He raised his glass into the air as a salute. All the people in the room raised their glass as a toast. "Bless the Hiten Kingdom and the Kasshin Kingdom."

Everyone repeated the king's blessing and they took a sip from their glass. The moment the royal family took their seats, the courtiers took their seats and began helping themselves to the food that was already placed on the tables.

"I wonder where we can take our seats," Kaoru said as she leaned closer to Soujiro's ear so he was the only one who heard her.

"I thought your place was at Enishi's side," he answered.

She frowned at him. "We aren't married yet."

"Then I believe your place is next to me."

"Like I want to be next to you," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that," he said. He grabbed her hand and led her to table with enough room for the both of them. The other knights welcomed both of them with open arms. Their faces were either stuffed with rich food or they were smiling at some jokes that were shared at the table. Soujiro picked up Kaoru's plate and filled it with different breads, fruits and hot chicken. He put the plate in front of her.

"Enjoy."

Kaoru looked at him and then at her plate. She knew why he filled her plate. Usually, she was timid about taking food from other people. She always took too little, thinking of others before herself. Soujiro, on the other hand, was brave. He did and said what he wanted and no one questioned him. Maybe it had to do with the freedom that Tomoe allowed him. But wherever he went, he felt at home.

"Thanks."

"No problem." He had his plate filled with food. He didn't hesitate to begin his meal by shoving a chicken leg into his mouth. Kaoru hid her smile behind her hand as she watched him enjoy his food. She grabbed some grapes and popped them into her mouth. Her eyes closed as she savored the sweet juice rolling along her tongue. It wasn't everyday she was able to enjoy fruits. If Tomoe didn't sneak them from the kitchen, Kaoru only got to enjoy soup and hot bread. She wasn't allowed any luxuries since she wasn't royalty as yet.

She opened her eyes and decided what to eat next but none of the other food appealed to her. Instead, she got up from her seat.

"Is something wrong?" Soujiro asked her with concern. However, a smile still remained plastered on his face.

"No, I'm just not hungry right now. I will eat a little bit later," she answered him.

"Then, I'll safe guard your food."

"You don't have to," she announced.

"I want to. Besides, we won't have this same food later." He was right. Later on, the servants would either dump the food away or give it to the dogs.

"Okay," she said. As long as he was pleased, she could get her little freedom. His smile turned into a full blown grin. She swiveled on her feet, leaving him to eat and chat with his friends. She made her way outside into the courtyard, sighing as the cool air touched her cheeks. Her lips tug upward at the corner of her face. She felt relieved to leave the banquet hall full of jeering people. When she was alone, she felt like she could finally breathed. Being in a crowded room never sat well with her. She liked being on her own, since she was mostly alone in the palace. Soujiro and Tomoe were her only friends.

Which left her to wonder, how would the castle be like after their departure? The moment Tomoe and Soujiro left for their new home, Kaoru was going to be truly alone.

But first, she had to protect Tomoe from whoever wanted to hurt her. Only Kaoru didn't know how to fight. Besides mimicking how the knights raised and lowered their swords, Kaoru knew nothing else. Her father was an adviser and she was raised as a servant to work in the stables. Lady etiquette was taught to her by Tomoe. Fortunately, the little time she spent with her father was learning literacy. She still had some of the books he gifted her before his death.

The servant girl stopped by an open bench. She was about to sit down and enjoy the serene atmosphere when she heard shuffles of footsteps toward her direction. Her head snapped to the noise and her eyes widened at the person she least expected to meet outside. Prince Himura stood a few inches away from her. His unnaturally glowing yellow eyes caused her heart to stutter in her chest. She stepped back, the back of her knees hit the bench. She collapsed, with her rear ramming the bench hard. An unladylike "oof" escaped her lips as the red headed prince stopped moving.

He didn't say anything to her. His penetrative eyes bored down on her until she wished for the ground to open up and swallow her whole. Finally, she broke the silence between them. "I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was out here."

"That makes the both of us," he replied with a smooth masculine voice. Kaoru thanked her lucky stars that she was already sitting on the bench, or else his voice would have landed her heap on the floor.

Turning her focus elsewhere due to those unnatural eyes that reminding her of the sun, she tilted her head to the sky. "It's a beautiful night," she complimented as the stars seemed to wink at her.

"It is," he agreed with his rich voice. Kaoru had to wonder how his voice made the other ladies react. Tomoe must have a hard time standing on her own two feet whenever the prince talked. Maybe that explained why he was a man of a few words.

"I wish every night can be like this one."

He didn't respond. Instead, he raised his head to examine the stars.

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" she asked, feeling unsure about how he felt about her company.

"It doesn't matter," he said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe it's better if I return into the banquet hall."

He was right. The banquet hall held the party to commemorate his union with Tomoe. They would be frowned upon, if anyone saw them outside, alone together. "Okay."

The prince turned his back to her and was about to leave when she remembered the threat on Tomoe's life. If anybody could protect Tomoe, it could be Prince Himura. Kaoru extended her arm to stop the prince when she recalled who she was. She was a nobody next to him and King Seijuro. Instead she fell down to her knees on the hard ground. Her teeth jammed together, as she tried not to cry out from the sudden pain in her knees. Most likely she skinned her knees and blood must be leaking from the wounds. She would worry about that later.

"Wait!"

He halted and very slowly, he turned around to face her.

"Please!" Her breaths came out as sharp gasps.

"Please!" she tried again.

He waited patiently for her to continue while never taking his eerie stare off of her.

"Protect Princess Yukishiro!" she was able to exclaim.

At first, she thought her words didn't register in his mind because he was still simply staring at her with unnerving yellow eyes. Then his shoulders slightly moved and he bowed his head to her. "I will," he said.

"No, I mean stay with her throughout your marriage day," Kaoru said quickly. "If you don't...," she hesitated to continue.

"What will happen?" he questioned. He shifted closer to her.

Kaoru coward before him. She couldn't look at him anymore so she settled with pressing her forehead to the cold ground. The words tumbled out of her mouth. "Tomoe will die."

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the long time between updates. Actually, I have been updating in between stories. This chapter has been waiting patiently in my computer before I decided "what the heck, let me update?" I'm planning on making this story a short one. Maybe there might be five to ten chapters so my updates might be slow, but hopefully each chapter will be worth it. Thanks for reading and until next time.


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